UNITED STATES NEWS

Free upgrades and pardon requests: What it’s like to share a name with a president

Jan 17, 2025, 10:33 PM | Updated: Jan 18, 2025, 5:00 am

President-elect Donald Trump speaks during a news conference at Mar-a-Lago, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, ...

President-elect Donald Trump speaks during a news conference at Mar-a-Lago, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS

(AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

WASHINGTON (AP) — There’s not only one Donald Trump in the United States. Nor is there only one William J. Clinton.

Plenty of people share names with famous presidents.

Donald Trump, a veteran and resident of Alabama, said because of his name he often is gifted things for free. William J. Clinton, who goes by Billy, used to live in the Washington, D.C., area, and would receive interesting mail from inmates.

The men with those names who served in the White House will be at the Capitol Monday to attend the inauguration of Trump, the president-elect. The Associated Press talked to people who share names with the presidents to find out what life is like for them.

William J. Clinton, Tennessee resident

“My dad is Bill, not the former president, but he’s just, he’s actually the seventh in the line of William J., William Clintons in our genealogy. So, I’m the eighth. My nine-month-old son is the ninth. … There’s definitely a lot of double takes, though, for sure. And it’s a daily occurrence. I have in my mind always like, well, there’s the daily occurrence of somebody being like, ’Your name’s really Bill Clinton?’”

“Some of the craziest things that have happened because of my name, and especially because I had an address for, you know, basically my whole life that was like in and around the D.C. area, was receiving letters from federal inmates asking for presidential pardons addressed to me, like by accident.”

Donald Trump, a veteran and resident of Clanton, Alabama

“There’s been a lot of times where I got upgraded, you know, like first class. There has been times where I did make reservations for a hotel and they gave me the penthouse free. Well, thank you very much. I’ve had some free meals at restaurants.”

Abraham Lincoln, a banking professional from Washington state

“I’ve found that it’s sort of a blessing and a curse. Like it’s really good for breaking the ice, sort of, people are just sort of amazed and it gets people talking. It also, you know, where first impressions really matter, people aren’t going to forget my name, therefore, they’re not going to usually forget the first impression. So, I’ve got to really always sort of be on my A-game when I’m meeting people.”

“Reservations generally will go under (his wife’s) name because I usually will get a, ‘No really what’s your name?’ Or, ‘You’re messing with me.’”

Grover Cleveland, a fire chief from Cresco, Pennsylvania

“Just growing up, everyone was always pretty shocked on how I have the exact name.”

“I’ll give a credit card at a store that somebody might not know who I am. And yeah, then the manager gets called up and it’s fraud or something like that. So, you know, nope, here’s my ID.”

United States News

FILE - Elon Musk speaks at a presidential inauguration event on behalf of President-elect Donald Tr...

Associated Press

The slash-and-burn tactics Musk brings to Washington often backfired at Twitter

When Elon Musk bought Twitter in 2022, he laid off thousands of employees, stopped paying rent and auctioned off coffee makers and office chairs in hopes of a big turnaround. Now the world’s richest man has brought the same slash-and-burn strategy to the federal government, and some people who experienced Musk’s takeover at Twitter have […]

3 minutes ago

FILE - This colorized electron microscope image released by the National Institute of Allergy and I...

Associated Press

New York temporarily shutters bird markets after seven cases of avian flu are detected in NYC

NEW YORK (AP) — New York on Friday ordered a weeklong shutdown of all live bird markets in New York City, Westchester and Long Island after seven cases of avian flu were detected at bird markets in the city. Gov. Kathy Hochul said there is no immediate threat to public health and that the temporary […]

56 minutes ago

Demonstrators and lawmakers rally against President Donald Trump and his ally Elon Musk as they dis...

Associated Press

Forced leaves start for thousands at USAID under a Trump plan to gut the foreign aid agency

WASHINGTON (AP) — Forced leaves began in Washington and worldwide Friday for most employees of the U.S. Agency for International Development, as federal workers associations turned to the courts to try to roll back Trump administration orders that have dismantled most of the agency and U.S.- funded aid programs around the world. Under a Trump […]

2 hours ago

Associated Press

The Latest: US allies in Europe join ICC against Trump’s sanctions over Israel

The International Criminal Court on Friday called on its member states to stand up against sanctions imposed by President Donald Trump, saying that the move was an attempt to “harm its independent and impartial judicial work.” And the embattled court got plenty of support from traditional U.S. allies in Europe who stood up against the […]

2 hours ago

Associated Press

2 dead, 3 injured in weather event with ‘possible tornado,’ officials in Tennessee say

WARTBURG, Tenn. (AP) — Two people were killed in eastern Tennessee when severe storms with a possible tornado moved through the region. Local officials announced Friday morning that a mother and daughter from the same household were killed when the storm passed through the Deer Lodge and Sunbright areas of Morgan County on Thursday night. […]

3 hours ago

Tim Andrews smiles as he leaves Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston on Feb. 1, 2025. (Kate Flo...

Associated Press

New Hampshire man is 2nd person known to be living with a pig kidney

A New Hampshire man fought for the chance at a pig kidney transplant, spending months getting into good enough shape to be part of a small pilot study of a highly experimental treatment. His effort paid off: Tim Andrews, 66, is only the second person known to be living with a pig kidney. Andrews is […]

3 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

...

Asset Preservation Wealth & Tax

How to optimize the most money in 2024 tax returns

As tax season begins, getting your financials in order is important to maximize your tax return.

...

The UPS Store

How The UPS Store is giving back to the community

PHOENIX -- As 2024 nears a close, The UPS Store is looking to give back to the Arizona community with the holiday season approaching.

...

Schwartz Laser Eye Center

Don’t miss the action with this game-changing procedure

PHOENIX -- The clear lens exchange procedure has emerged as a popular alternative to LASIK eye surgery.

Free upgrades and pardon requests: What it’s like to share a name with a president